MI GEAR up Gazette Editor MI GEAR up Chynele Stewart - Student Assistant

Oakland University

Pre-College Programs

Presents...

MI GEAR UP Volume 2, Issue 1

GAZETTE April 2014

2014 Spring Issue

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

Fall in Review Pg.2

9th Grade Checklist Pg.3

Parent Testimonial Pg.4

Parent Support Pg.4

Mentor’s Message Pg.5

Contact Info Pg.6

KnowingHow2Go Pg.6 Fall in Review

The fall semester appeared to float by us in a flash. Fall proved to be a productive and exciting time for us at GEAR UP, especially for our students:

In September, MI GEAR UP spent time with the Oak Park Freshman Institute students for Lunch with GEAR UP. During our visits to the school, students got to ask questions about GEAR UP and learned about the Fall Saturday Academies. Assistant Director, Tiffany Elliott, also spent an entire day with our GEAR UP students from International Technology Academy for A Day with ITA.

The 2013 Fall Conference theme was “Owning Our Success.” Sessions were designed to remind our students that in order to be successful, they must take responsibility for their future NOW! Session topics included how to search for college funding, presented by the Financial Aid department from Oakland University, learning the importance of understanding and being aware of communication styles as well as an open discussion session about how our cohort has evolved and can continue to advance with Director Reginald McCloud and Tiffany Elliott. Thank you for all the great feedback about the conference.

This year we offered three different class options for the 2013 Fall Saturday Academies: Reading & Math, Music and Spanish. With changing requirements for graduation, it’s important that we provide variety to our students that also builds on their current curriculum.

OU’s GEAR UP started a student mentoring groups for our Pontiac 9th Grade Academy Students in the fall. The GEAR UP Mentoring Program is once a week during student’s lunch period. Students are engaged in gender specific small group meetings with our Oakland University student mentors.

Finally, we closed out the fall of 2013 with some family fun during the Brunch and Basketball - Holiday Wrap Up event. Students and their guest joined us on the campus of Oakland Universi- ty for brunch and an opportunity to watch the Men’s Basketball team live and in action as we cheered on our Golden Grizzlies against the Eastern Michigan Eagles! GO BLACK! GO GOLD! With so many great things that have already happened during the first half of the school year, we’re just getting started at GEAR UP! Make It Count: 9th Grade Checklist

Freshman year of high school is very important, when it comes to laying the foundation for a student’s success in high school and entry into college. Contrary to popular belief, the habits that you create this year will either make the next several years less rocky or create mountains for you to overcome. The following information consists of a few tips to help ensure that you are getting the most of your 9th grade year:

 Make sure your spending time talking to your counselor: Make sure that you are on track to prevent any major hiccups during your senior year. Schedule a visit with your guidance counselor (at least once a semester) to make sure you are on track. Talk to your counselor and teachers about advanced placement courses, as well as dual enrollment programs.

 Map out the next 3 years of high school: High schools across the nation share a basic stand- ard for the number of credits needed in a subject, (i.e. 4 years of English, 4 years of Math, 2 years of a Foreign Language, etc…) so the earlier you have a plan, the better chances you have to reach your goal. Make sure your checking your credits so that there aren’t any issues.

 Start building a portfolio: Though academics are important, colleges look for students who are well-rounded. Demonstrating your ability to be responsible and having documentation that shows your growth as a person says a lot. Include awards, honors, volunteer work, extracurricular activities, etc.

 Start researching scholarships: It’s never too early to start looking into scholarship and grant opportunities. College is expensive and nobody wants to take out loans, unless they must. Search- ing for scholarships now puts you ahead of the game. Even if you aren’t eligible for a particular scholarship now, it doesn’t mean you will not be in the future.

 Work on building positive relationships with teachers and other staff: Teachers talk to other teachers who do not work in the same grade level. Being studious goes a long way and gives you an advantage in the long run. Sometimes, you should not sit next to your friend in a class if you know that person is a distraction. Creating positive relationships with staff/teachers will make the next 3 years of your life a lot more enjoyable.

 Start looking into college majors that fit your interest: Google is your friend! What are you interested in doing? What are you passionate about? Is there a way for you to connect that desire with a career option? Google a few careers; read up on options, salaries, amount of schooling needed for that career path and schools that are associated. Get Live, Get Involved, Get Active: Parent Testimonial

When I first heard about GEAR UP, I thought it would be MI GEAR focused on academics, when all the business is just another pre-college program for my daughter. What I done, your child will have some down time which is AL- didn't know, but soon found out, was that it would be so WAYS fun. Students are able to gain all this and so much much more! Over the years of her involvement, she more through the connection made with GEAR UP. (Madison Hathaway, a 9th grader at International Technolo- So yes, this is more than just your ordinary pre-college gy Academy) has gained so much from the young men & program, this is the BEST pre- college program my daughter women who have committed themselves to transforming has ever been in. So to MI GEAR UP from me to you, thank these young kids’ lives. My daughter has learned what it takes to maintain good grades, tools needed to get into col- you for allowing us to be in your family!!! lege like how to apply, along with being exposed to different seminars about financial planning for and during college. She has also been able to gain the opportunity to visit different colleges here in Michigan. This was something she probably would not have been able to experience, had it not been for Oakland University MI GEAR UP.

As a parent, I like that the program is not just for the children, it's for the parents as well. The staff has also assisted us by providing programming such as a chance to gain understanding on communication styles for students, helping with financial aid forms as well as planning for ways to pay for college and anything else that will help a parent better their future along with your students and providing resources for GED assistance. I can’t fail to mention the - Ms. Courtney Mills scholarship opportunity that students are eligible for, just by being an active GEAR UP participate. Not only is

Parent Support : Options and Assistance for GED Programs

With education being at the forefront of our mission here at MI GEAR UP, we understand that for many the first step towards a better future is passing the GED. Below are a couple of resources for any parent who might be interested in perusing their GED in the near future:  Online GED Prep can be found on the Michigan Department of Education site (Michigan eLibrary) Please visit www.mel.org for more information.

 Also, free GED Prep is offered for adults at the Baldwin Center. The Baldwin Center offers adult basic education classes and GED preparation to neighborhood adults. They also have also a new computer lab that can be of assistance for adults working towards educational goals. For more information regarding this opportunity, please contact the Baldwin Center and ask to speak directly to Pastor Michael Vicker. Contact Information for the Baldwin Center at 212 Baldwin Ave, Pontiac, MI 48342 Phone: 248-332-6101 Mentor Message

This edition of Mentor Message is quite unique. Both mentors below are graduates of Flint Northern High School in Flint, MI . Daniel Lewis and La’Asia Johnson were involved in Central Michigan University’s GEAR UP and are both recipients of the GEAR UP scholarship. Even though they were eligible to take their scholarship to any of the 15 public universities in Michigan, both decided to bring their scholarship to Oakland University. We are overjoyed to have them as a part of our family and even more excited about their recent accomplishments of receiving the 2014 Keeper of the Dream Scholarship Award because of their commitment to academic excellence and outstanding leadership.

We asked these two one simple question: What do you wish you would have known before you got to college?

Hello! My name is La’Asia Johnson important parts of your success! Your college and I am currently a sophomore at experience is truly whatever you make it out to in any situation. Along with the individ- Oakland University studying social be. With friends and supporters backing you uals I’ve met in Pre-College , I know work. I plan to graduate in 2016 and throughout the entire journey, the experience that I can always count on my mentor begin a career working with abused can only be a memorable one. In the beginning of from freshman year, Aretha Frazier, and women, teens and children. As a stu- my freshman year, I had only one friend. We the Center of Multicultural Initiatives. dent who was born and raised in spent every single second outside of our classes Through my connections with that of- Flint, MI, I can honestly say that com- together, which soon pushed our friendship into fice, I was actually informed of a prestig- ing to Oakland University was a cul- a different direction! We began to quickly irritate ture shock. I had to learn both about ious scholarship that I was awarded. one another and I felt as though our nonstop myself and how that would affect my time together would ruin our relationship. With After finally deciding to branch out, I interactions with different people, in this, we decided to branch out and make other became even more involved in student order to get the hang of my new friends outside of one another. He began to go affairs by becoming an Orientation lifestyle. In college, making connec- to the gym and I began to get more involved on Group Leader for the summer of 2013. tions with other people is one of the campus. One of my mentors from high school Being an OGL opened doors for other most highly recommended me to go to the office of job opportunities and even allowed me to be in position to help other students Pre-College Programs and introduce myself. who were struggling to adjust to uni- Becoming a mentor with Pre-college programs versity life, like I once did. Seeing my transformed my college experience. I began to previous student mentees on campus meet other mentors and form relationships with and having them hug and thank me for people that I knew I could count on for support my help lets me know that all the things I did for them is appreciated. As a sophomore in college now, I wish I had known from the beginning that connections are essential throughout life’s journey. The friends and family that I have during these past two years have helped me in unimaginable ways and I know that they will be here to support me throughout the rest of my journey.

Hello, my name is Daniel Lewis and I am a sophomore at Oakland University with a major in Pre- Physical Therapy and a minor in Exercise Science. As a freshman in high school I wish I would have known how to manage my time better. In high school I went into everyday without a plan of how I would get things done and it would always resulted in frustration, stress, and forgotten deadlines. In high school, academics, athletics, and other extracurricular activities that I was involved in, made my life stressful sometimes because I felt like it wasn’t enough time in one day in order for me to get everything done. This could have been avoided if I had managed my time better and had an actual plan on how to handle all the things I needed to get done. If I’d known this in ninth grade year, not only would it have made me an even better high school student but it would have also prepared me for college. Time management is a very big issue in college. My first few weeks of school were very stressful because I was always trying to remember everything including deadlines, other important dates, and the huge amounts of material I needed to learn so that I was prepared for exams and quizzes. At this point I didn’t think college was for me. Then I got myself a planner and a calendar to write down important dates, deadlines and to manage my day. Now I knew what time of the day I should be studying, when I have free time, and when the cafeteria is open. This has made my life a lot less stressful because I now know what my goals are for the day. This has really helped me in my success here at Oakland University. My message to our students is to practice time management now because no matter where you go in life, it will be a necessary skill! The mission of Oakland University MI GEAR UP is to provide an opportunity for underrepresented students to discover firsthand the potential of a college educa- Organization tion, and to be made aware of the information, knowledge and skills they will need in order to complete high school and adequately prepare themselves for a successful entrance into college.

Pre-College Programs Pre-College Programs Department Staff 106 North Foundation Hall Rochester, MI 48309 Reginald McCloud - Director Phone: 248-370-4455 Fax: 248-370-4463 Tiffany Elliott - Assistant Director Website: www.oakland.edu/precollege Carrie Miller - Executive Secretary

Kendra Agee - Graduate Assistant and MI GEAR UP Gazette Editor MI GEAR UP Chynele Stewart - Student Assistant

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KnowingHow2GO Resources

Scholarships and Financial Aid Websites www.fastweb.com FastWeb has a wealth of information about scholarships that students can start applying for right now. FastWeb has also ex- panded to help with the college search. Scholarships.com This website allows you to explore scholarship opportunities and get matched with possible colleges at the same time. www. Bigfuture.collegeboard.org The College Board manages Advanced Placement and the SAT, but they also put our resources designed to help students find schools, majors, and scholarships. www.mappingyourfuture.org Mapping your Future contains resources for exploring careers, finding schools, and looking for financial aid. www.michigan.gov/mistudentaid MI Student Aid has resources for scholarships and college planning as well as links to information about a variety of public institutions of higher education. Exploring this site will help you learn about Michigan-specific opportunities. www.fafsa.ed.gov/ FAFSA, or the Free Application for Student Aid, will be a key part of the determination of your child’s financial aid package.